LOCUST ART BUILDERS
2026 FINAL REPORT
CELEBRATING 16 YEARS OF INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CREATIVES!
NEXT GEN TALENT
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
As part of our mission to nurture the realization of new art and ideas, we support the next generation of artists with opportunities and resources that empower their creative growth. Founded in 2010, Locust Art Builders: Summer Art Intensive for Teens (LAB) invites aspiring young artists and creatives from schools across Miami-Dade County to connect and collaborate with their peers while learning from mentor artists and creative professionals as they learn all aspects of building an exhibition. Offering scholarships to up to thirty students each year, LAB provides five weeks of professional artist mentorship, hands-on learning, and creative exploration, as well as providing art supplies, daily meals, and travel stipends. Over the past sixteen years, more than 300 students have participated in this distinctive pre-college program, making it one of the only selective, immersive arts experiences of its kind in the region. Since I joined Locust in 2017, I have seen firsthand the impact LAB has on our students and am continually inspired by the commitment, creativity, and care each cohort brings to the experience. This year’s Build for Better theme focused on innovative resourcefulness and sustainability and challenged students to think critically about the world around them and imagine how art can contribute to positive change. Congratulations to all the student artists who are now officially part of Locust Projects’ family of artist alumni and thank you to everyone who has created, sustained, and supported this wonderful program over the past sixteen years. Your generosity makes it possible for young artists across Miami to learn, grow, and build a better future together. With gratitude,
Lorie Mertes | Exectutive Director
LOCUST ART BUILDERS 2026
OVERVIEW
Summer Art Intensive Sessions: June 15-July 16, 2026 LAB exhibition on view: July 18-August 1, 2026 This year’s LAB was led by Lead Mentor Teaching Artist Crystal Pearl Molinary, with mentor talks and workshops from visiting artists and creative professionals including longtime LAB mentors Loni Johnson and Monica Lopez De Victoria, as well as Eddie Brown, Cynthia Cruz, Rosa Naday Garmendia, Mark Herrera, Charo Oquet, and Pangea Kali Virga. The program was further supported by Locust Projects staff, communications intern Sonya, and LAB intern Diana. Throughout the five-week program, students explored sustainable art practices through collaborative making, hands-on workshops, artist talks, and field trips to Bakehouse Art Complex and Laundromat Art Space that expanded their understanding of contemporary art and creative careers. Guided by this year’s theme, Build for Better, students transformed recycled and repurposed materials into a collaborative exhibition titled Deep Roots High Tides. The exhibition opened with a public reception on July 18, 2026, celebrating the accomplishments of the 19 participating students with their families, friends, and the wider Miami community. This year’s LAB program included students from: • Coral Reef Senior High • Design and Architecture Senior High • Miami Arts Charter School • Miami Beach Senior High School • New World School of the Arts • South Dade Senior High
Locust Projects seeks to make the LAB experience equitably accessible to all students by offering fullyfunded scholarships, art supplies, daily meals, travel stipends, and more. LAB BUILDERS BAG Each student’s bag was filled with supplies, including: • Jerry’s Artarama sponsored art supplies • Tape measure • Special 2026 edition LAB T-shirt TRAVEL STIPENDS • With student’s living at all ends of Miami-Dade to make LAB economically, geographically equitable, students in need have access to travel stipends to offset the cost transportation to and from LAB and home.
WORKSHOPS • • • • • • • •
Monica Lopez De Victoria — LAB Past & Present workshop, introducing the history and legacy of LAB through collaborative artmaking and creative exploration. Loni Johnson — Studio visit and artist talk, sharing her multidisciplinary practice and approach to assemblage and storytelling. Tom Mickelson — Tool Time workshop, introducing basic fabrication techniques through the construction of a vitrine/Cornell box. Pangea Kali Virga — Textile and natural dye workshop, leading students in creating recycled tapestries using reclaimed fabrics. Rosa Naday Garmendia — Screenprinting and printmaking workshop, introducing students to printmaking techniques and edition-based practices. Cynthia Cruz — Experimental new media workshop, introducing video production, editing, and AI tools for creative practice. Eddie Brown — Career workshop on opportunities and long-term benefits available through YoungArts, highlighting the national competition, mentorship opportunities, and the professional network it provides Charo Oquet — Collaborative installation workshop, helping students synthesize their individual works into a cohesive exhibition.
FIELD TRIPS LAUNDROMAT ART SPACE
Students visited Laundromat Art Space, an artist-led organization dedicated to fostering the growth of local artists by providing innovative curatorial opportunities and artistic programming for the community. Accompanied by Locust’s Executive Director, students toured the current exhibition and learned about the organization’s artist-centered programming from Director and Co-founder Ronald Sanchez. They also participated in studio visits with resident artists Donna Ruff, Michelle Rusinek, and Julia Zurilla, gaining firsthand insight into each artist’s creative process, studio practice, and professional journey offering valuable insight into Miami’s contemporary art community while encouraging students to think about the many ways artists create, collaborate, and share their work.
BAKEHOUSE ART COMPLEX
Students also visited Bakehouse Art Complex, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable studio space, exhibitions, residencies, and professional development opportunities for more than 100 South Florida artists while advancing a long-term vision for an expanded campus and permanent cultural infrastructure. Guided by Krys Ortega and Christine Cortes, students toured the campus and learned about the organization’s plans to grow its facilities and visited the studios of Leo Castañeda, Monica Lopez de Victoria, Adler Guerrier, and Tom Virgin, where they gained firsthand insight into each artist’s creative practice and career path.
THE 2026 LEAD ARTIST MENTOR Crystal Pearl Molinary
Working primarily with photography and video, Crystal’s practice explores identity, heritage, and femininity through the lens of the Cuban-American experience. An accomplished educator with more than 15 years of experience, she is passionate about helping young artists develop their creative voices through contemporary art and interdisciplinary practice. Crystal currently serves as Director of Visual Arts at Miami Arts Charter School and was recently recognized with the 2026 Ellies Oolite Arts Award for the Art Teacher Travel Award.
THE 2026 INTERNS Each year, Locust Projects offers two summer internship opportunities: a Communications Internship for college students and a LAB Internship for alumni of the previous year’s program. The Communications Intern supports marketing and documentation, while the LAB Intern serves as a student mentor and documents the program from a participant’s perspective. This year’s interns were Sonya Vasileva and Diana Zelayandia.
Sonya Vasileva
Sonya, our Communications Intern, is pursuing a BFA in Sculpture with a minor in Art History at the University of Miami. She joined the Locust Projects team to gain hands-on experience with a community-centered arts nonprofit and to learn what it means to give back through the arts. This summer, Sonya has been documenting the LAB experience through photography and video, while also sitting down with our WaveMaker artists-in-residence to learn more about their creative process and time at Locust Projects.
Diana Zelayandia
Diana is a returning LAB alum! A recent graduate of Design and Architecture Senior High (DASH), Diana will attend the Honors College at Miami Dade College this fall, where she’ll major in Nursing. Passionate about the impact art can have on individuals and communities, Diana worked alongside Lead Mentor Teaching Artist Crystal Pearl to support the day-to-day LAB program while documenting the students’ creative journey and assisting Sonya with the LAB documentary.
AN INTERN’S PERSPECTIVE ON LAB Every year our LAB College-level Summer interns are tasked with all aspects of creating a documentary video for LAB and a blog overview of the student’s LAB experience from their perspective to their final project assignment. Capturing daily activities and moments over LAB’s five weeks and scenes from the opening and the LAB student final exhibition, their final video gives a behind-thescenes look at one of Miami’s most impactful teen summer art pre-college programs. Published on our YouTube Channel and Closer Look Blog it also gives our interns an incredible professional achievement to list on their resumes.
CLICK TO READ THE BLOG The 2026 LAB Documentary was shot and edited by Sonya, with additional support from Diana. Diana also took ownership of the blog post interview between herself and Sonya.
CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO
" It’s been really wonderful to watch everything unfold, from the early workshops where artists would come in and introduce different techniques, all the way to the exhibition they’re setting up right now. It’s genuinely inspiring, and there’s this sense of pride watching them get here, especially knowing they only had five weeks. From interviewing the LAB students, I can say they’re all very different people with their own voices, and seeing them come together and cooperate the way they have is awesome.” - Sonya
LAB MENTOR MEET + GREET BRUNCH The LAB students hosted a Mentor Meet + Greet Brunchon Tuesday, July 14 welcoming practicing artists, teachers, creative professionals, and LAB sponsors. The students each introduced themselves and answered questions about their work in-progress. With the Meet + Greet happening during the crucial final install week, they were also able to talk through ideas, get tips, and problem solve with the mentors. The event provided a special opportunity for the students to network and learn more about arts careers while gaining confidence and becoming more comfortable speaking about their work and presenting it to the public.
LAB 2026 EXHIBITION ON VIEW JULY 18 - AUGUST 1, 2026
STUDENT ARTISTS’ STATEMENT: As the world seems to spin further out of control, the younger generation inherits the weight of an increasingly broken future. Anxiety takes hold as news of displacement, political division, and climate change dominates the headlines. We are now faced with the challenge: How can we build for the better? Deep Roots High Tides explores this idea by directing our gaze to the local Miami community, a city defined by migration, resilience, and constant transformation. As we identify the places closest to us—our beaches, mangrove forests, cultures, and families—we realize that the answer is rooted in our past. “Deep Roots” reflects the diverse cultures of Miami and the untold stories that shape the local community through the motif of mangrove roots as a metaphor. Our communities— interconnected like mangroves—weather storms together and draw strength from one another. This exhibition honors the challenges that shape us, unafraid to discuss topics such as immigration, identity, and sustainability. Beneath the vibrant tourist culture, the heart of Miami lies in the labor, connections, and stories of its people. “High Tides” communicates both the chaos and excitement surrounding the rise of the younger generation and the future of Miami. We envision a future where people are united and recognize the commonalities between vastly different backgrounds. We encourage visitors to share their own stories, hopes, and visions for the Miami they wish to build. With a strong connection to and understanding of the past, we believe the future is filled with possibilities. Just as healthy mangroves protect coastlines from rising waters, a strong community is the key to resilience in times of change. This exhibition celebrates the belief that, by honoring our history and embracing our differences, Miami will be deeply rooted and unafraid to meet the shifting tides ahead. Above: Student-created promotion design for the exhibition.
PROCESS & INSTALLATION Throughout the five weeks, LAB students explored sustainable art practices, environmental stewardship, and community building through hands-on workshops by professional artists, educators, and creative practitioners. The last weeks were a whirlwind of activity as students worked hard individually and collectively to complete their exhibition.
OPENING NIGHT Saturday, July 18, 2026
More than 200 guests attended the opening reception including family and friends who watched the students receive certificates for participation which many use in college applications.
POST PROGRAM EVALUATION Post-assessment surveys showed that students were challenged when having to compromise with their peers, but through collaborative activities they learned how to connect, communicate, and embrace their differences and ideas. Some of the listed favorite aspects of LAB included the hands-on workshops, field trip, exhibition preparation, and the collaborative nature of the intensive. Students’ answers to the required final survey provide critical feedback on what worked and what didn’t giving Locust Projects insights on areas to improve for next year.
EVALUATION QUOTES “Collaborating with other student artists was challenging, but incredibly rewarding. I learned to stay open minded and compromise to ensure a collaborative final piece.” -Yilin “I learned much better communication skils and saw how networking plays a vital role in the life of an artist.” -Michelle “This program inspired me to create more, and I feel the energy to learn new things. After seeing all the talented people around me I started to feel the need to be at their level and improve myself.” - Lilyana “The best part of LAB was getting to talk to different artists and my fellow classmates ans seeing how all those perspectives became one coherent idea.” - Laurant
SHARING THE LAB EXPERIENCE
CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY 13 LAB-related Instagram posts had more than 15,000 impressions and were visible to over 26,000 followers.
13 LAB-related Facebook posts had over 4,000 impressions and were visible to over 6,500 followers.
Eight eNewsletters highlighting the LAB program including six dedicated eNewsletters were sent to our database of over 20,000 local, national, and international constituents.
LOCUST ART BUILDERS LOCUST PROJECTS
Celebrating 16 years of inspiring the next generation of creatives at Locust Projects. Locust Art Builders: Summer Art Intensive for Teens 2026 is made possible through lead support from: The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust and the Hillsdale Fund. Additional support provided by The Kirk Foundation and Locust Projects’ INCUBATORS, Friends of the Next Generation.
Special Thanks Jerry’s Artarama, official art supplies sponsor for LAB.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
5
16
320+
110+ MENTOR TEACHERS